Advocacy News 

The American Dental Association (ADA) has proposed the following in response to the workforce shortage of dental hygienists:

  • Reducing CODA accreditation standards for dental hygiene education programs
  • Creating alternative pathways to dental hygiene licensure that do not require completion of a CODA accredited dental hygiene program
  • Allowing dental students & internationally trained dentists to be licensed to practice as dental hygienists
  • Adopting an Oral Preventive Assistant model that would allow dental assistants with limited training to perform periodontal probing and supragingival scaling

The Oral Preventive Assistant model, also called a scaling assistant, is an expanded function dental assistantwho can perform periodontal probing & supragingival scaling for healthy patients. The required training & allowable procedures would be determined by each state’s legislature. This model was already legal in Kansas & Illinois. Missouri is currently conducting a scaling assistant pilot project.

This year Massachusetts passed a law that allows dental students & internationally trained dentists to be eligible for dental hygiene licensure. Arizona passed a law that creates the oral preventive assistant model for their state.Scaling assistant bills have been introduced in Colorado, Montana, Nevada, Washington & Wisconsin.

The ADHA & ODHA are opposed to the scaling assistant model and are opposed to allowing individuals who have not completed a CODA accredited dental hygiene education program to be licensed as dental hygienists.

The ADHA has responded to these proposals by keeping their members informed. releasing position statements, monitoring state legislatures and assisting states in addressing pending legislation.

What can you do?

  • Belong to & actively participate in ADHA
  • Follow ADHA on Facebook & other social media
  • Respond to advocacy alerts from ADHA & ODHA
  • Inform you state legislators about these issues
  • Network with your professional colleagues

For more information, contact ODHA Advocacy Director Lisa J. Rowley at [email protected].